


Protect

by mrs_berry



Series: Avril Amour (Adrinette April 2019) [21]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien x Marinette - Freeform, Adrinette, Adrinette April, Adrinette April 2019, Akuma Attack, Badass Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Badass Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, F/M, Fluff, Identity Reveal, LadyNoir - Freeform, Light Angst, Marinette x Adrien - Freeform, Miraculous Ladybug Love Square, Protect, Some Humor, adrienette - Freeform, ladrien, love square, now multi-chaptered, partial reveal
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-26
Updated: 2019-08-27
Packaged: 2020-02-04 09:16:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18601552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mrs_berry/pseuds/mrs_berry
Summary: There was no way she could have seen it coming or prevented it, no matter how much she tried to blame herself.It had happened so suddenly, so fast, so unexpectedly.But that wouldn't stop her from making every possible effort to save him.(Chapter 1 was written for the Adrinette April  2019 prompt: Protect.)





	1. Over the Edge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've had this idea for a long time, since before I began writing, but I was finally inspired to write it while I was listening to music by Ludovico Einaudi. Specifically, a piece called Divernire. I recommend listening to it while reading this (or even while not reading this as it really is a beautiful piece of music).
> 
> Also, I'm working on the prompts I missed, but they may not be finished today. I might get one more posted, but we'll see how it goes!
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

Mlle Bustier and her class were currently on a trip to see the Eiffel Tower.

The class had been buzzing with excitement all morning. Although everyone had seen and been to the Eiffel Tower many times before, visiting it again was always a welcome break from their usual school lessons and activities.

They had just made it to the second level, when Alya and Nino dragged Marinette and Adrien a little ways away from their other classmates.

Alya was always scheming to make some alone time for Marinette and Adrien and this time was no exception.

They chatted casually for a while, just talking about school, music, and various other topics. Eventually Alya found an excuse to leave with Nino and left a fumbling Marinette alone with Adrien.

"S-so!" Marinette squeaked out awkwardly, as she racked her brain for conversation starters and came up mostly empty. "How is... fencing going?"

"Pretty good. I have a tournament coming up soon, actually," Adrien replied with a small, but genuine, smile.

"That sounds exciting!" Marinette felt genuinely excited for him. She could tell he enjoyed fencing and seeing him happy was an easy way to make her happy, too.

"It is!" Adrien beamed; he liked seeing Marinette smile and loosen up around him. Giving a hopeful look, he added, "If you're interested, maybe you could come watch?"

Marinette nearly shrieked, but somehow managed to settle for a resounding, "Yes, I'd love to! ...If that's really okay with you?"

"As long as you're not on the _fence_ about it, I'd also love for you to come," Adrien chuckled and threw a wink.

Marinette giggled, a little surprised by the pun, but finding it more endearing than anything. She squeezed her hands to her heart, trying to calm her giddiness at how well the conversation seemed to be going.

But the moment was short-lived.

There was no way she could have seen it coming or prevented it, no matter how much she tried to blame herself.

It had happened so suddenly, so fast, so unexpectedly.

Yet, it was as though time itself seemed to have slowed down as she helplessly watched her beloved classmate—and crush—get slammed into by an akuma, knocked several feet away from her, and ultimately over the edge of the Eiffel Tower; all in the matter of a millisecond.

Blood pounded in Marinette's ears as all noise slowly drowned out, as if she had been submerged under water.

The only sounds that were clear were the rapid beating of her own heart and her quick, ragged breaths.

She couldn't think, almost couldn't breathe, as her legs burst into motion of their own accord.

Her body thrust forward at almost inhuman speeds as she raced the short distance towards to edge with all her might.

Had it been anyone else, they might have hesitated before pulling the stunt she was about to perform.

But she was Marinette. She was Ladybug.

And she _never_ hesitated when it truly mattered.

As she reached the edge of the tower, her leg muscles pulled taut as she bent her knees and powerfully vaulted over the wall, diving headfirst from 400 feet in the air.

Her eyes immediately zeroed in on Adrien, who looked back at her in pure shock and fear. He was gripping his shirt and appeared to have been interrupted mid-sentence due to the shock of seeing Marinette jump off after him. In that same moment, she called desperately for her transformation.

In the back of her mind, she knew it was risky transforming midair and in front of him, but it had beaten the alternative of transforming on the Eiffel Tower in front of all of her classmates.

(She wouldn't even entertain the idea of the other alternative; it was not an option to let him fall to his death.)

Adrien gasped as Ladybug's yo-yo string wound tightly around his torso. She tugged more harshly than strictly necessary in order to bring him to her—and her to him—that much sooner. She was aware of the pain it would likely cause him, but the pain would be far less than hitting the unforgiving pavement below.

As soon as she had him firmly in her grip, she snapped the string off of him and securely onto the nearest tower beam.

As the string reached its end, their gravitational descent suddenly ceased, and she maneuvered them upwards and back towards the tower.

Landing with a loud thud, Ladybug felt she could finally breathe again as she safely set Adrien down on the solid, sturdy surface.

She looked into his bewildered eyes, knowing she didn't have time for talking right now, so she parted with the most important words she could think of.

"Please, protect my secret and yourself."

With that, she flung herself back up towards the action, not giving herself a chance to see his flabbergasted and flustered reaction.

Ladybug landed in a crouch on the second level of the Eiffel Tower where she had previously jumped from.

A quick survey with her eyes confirmed her class had evacuated. However, the akuma remained, as if it had been awaiting her arrival.

Slowly, she straightened up and shot the fiercest glare towards her enemy.

Clenching her fists, she advanced forward ominously.

"You fucked with the wrong civilian," she spat venomously, seriously pissed off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I kind of have some ideas should I decide to continue this, but nothing totally concrete yet. I just really love Marinette being badass and Adrien falling even harder for her, so I'm not totally ready to let go of this story yet. But if I'm being honest, I'm highly driven by readers and comments so if no one is overly interested, then I may or may not continue. Please let me know what you think. ❤


	2. Octo-Loser

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug takes her rage out on a poor unsuspecting akuma.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is: a continuation as requested by many lovely and enthusiastic readers. This is being continued for all the sweet people who commented. I really hope it lives up to your expectations.
> 
> Enjoy!

"You fucked with the wrong civilian," Ladybug spat venomously, seriously pissed off.

Her murderous glare perfectly exemplified the "if looks could kill" expression.

(Had the akuma had any working brain cells, they would be getting the fuck out of there.)

Hawk Moth sorely wished he could akumatize Ladybug in this moment. She was terrifyingly angry; the perfect emotion for his evil magic. It would be excellent to see the damage she could do.

But Hawk Moth had Ladybug's Miraculous dangled in front of him like a delicious treat and he knew it was more important to get hers than it was to get Chat Noir's. After all, his akuma would be able to continuously multiply and bring absolute chaos without her purification magic—and Chat Noir would only be able to helplessly delay the inevitable, like the useless sidekick Hawk Moth deemed him to be.

As if sensing his thoughts, Ladybug snarled.

The weird octopus-like akuma, having just finished listening to Hawk Moth's usual instructions/bribery, finally chose to introduce itself.

"I am Octo-Winner and I will—"

**WHAM!**

Ladybug's yo-yo smoked the 12-foot-tall akuma right in its annoying mouth, not bothering to grace it with the chance to tell a sob story about how kids were making fun of his [tako octopus](https://www.japanesecooking101.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/DSC00344b.jpg) stand, calling them "octo-dicks" and other filthy names.

She really didn't have the patience to deal with this shit today.

Though, her anger wasn't truly directed towards the akuma itself at all.

"Coward!" she roared, referring to the real villain who sat behind the scenes, who controlled innocent civilians and never had to get his hands dirty.

The octo-sausage akuma sensed talking was useless at this point and whipped one of its 15-foot-long tentacles violently at her. She calmly raised an arm to block the attack, not even flinching when the tentacle made contact with a loud **SMACK!**

She merely smirked in response.

"Is that the best you've got?" she taunted.

Octo-Winner growled in response. Suddenly the tentacle she blocked, along with all seven of the other tentacles, snapped around angrily. Then, they all began fixatedly diving towards her without restraint.

She merely jumped on top of them with ease and used them as a platform to make her way closer to the octo-sausage's torso/head. She figured that was the logical place for the akuma to be located.

She scanned his body, however, and was frustrated to find it did not seem to be there. Of course this battle wouldn't be that simple.

Scowling, she was about to continue her search, but Octo-Winner seized that moment and violently shook himself to get rid of her. She scrambled to maintain her balance and even tried grabbing onto a tentacle, but it was to no avail.

Ladybug was sent flying across the second floor of the tower. To prevent a painful landing, she whipped out her yo-yo as fast as she could and managed to latch onto a beam. This allowed her to land gracefully in a crouch.

She used her new distance to her advantage and searched his tentacles next. The akuma had to be on one of them, if it wasn't on his body.

Unfortunately, she was unable to locate it before the octopus akuma quickly came after her again, swiping at her with no mercy. She clicked her tongue in frustration at her lack of progress.

As each tentacle neared her, she did her utmost to dodge, jump, block, and slide out of the way. As she did this, she was carefully observing each one.

Eventually, she eyed a thin plastic bracelet on one of its arms. _Bingo_.

She dove towards it and hurled her yo-yo with as much force and precision as she could, but the enemy managed to block it thanks to its numerous powerful limbs. This caused the yo-yo to come hurtling right back to her face.

Swiftly, she punched the yo-yo before it had the chance to smoke her right in the eye. She sent it soaring away, then flicked her wrist to reel it back in. She then bent her knees and sprung into a series of back flips to escape from all of the arms that were beginning to swarm her.

She huffed an annoyed sigh. This akuma was proving to be more of a nuisance than she thought it would be.

"Lucky Charm," she summoned, a bottle of ketchup falling into her outstretched hands.

Suddenly, she heard a gentle thud next to her.

 _Finally_.

"I don't think he's going to taste good, even with the ketchup," her partner quipped with a chuckle.

Ladybug wasn't really in the mood, still sour from Adrien having been put in mortal danger. She flittered her impatient eyes towards him.

"You're late," she said, trying not to let her anger seep through her voice. It was not Chat Noir's fault that Hawk Moth was a menace to society.

"Sorry, I got a little _octopied_ ," he admitted with a shrug and a grin.

Ladybug sighed.

Their conversation was cut short as the tentacles suddenly surrounded them, shrouding them in darkness. It seemed its goal was to crush them or suffocate them, neither of which Ladybug would allow.

"Chat," Ladybug uttered, without further explanation.

Chat understood anyway, and whipped out his baton. He extended it and forced it between tentacles to create an opening. Ladybug took that opportunity to launch her yo-yo through the crack and haul herself out of the tentacle prison.

As she swung above the octopus-sausage's head, she snapped open the ketchup lid and squeezed the ketchup bottle with all of her might, effectively emptying its contents into its eyes.

Octo-Winner cried out in pain and its tentacles flailed around wildly, putting an end to the prison it had created and freeing Chat Noir.

"Bracelet!" Ladybug yelled, alerting Chat to the object to destroy.

They both searched each of the frantically waving tentacles, remaining mindful of the other tentacles that were thrashing around.

Unfortunately, Chat failed to dodge one of the tentacles and Ladybug heard a loud **CRACK** as he was launched off of the Eiffel Tower.

A flashback of Adrien being knocked off earlier momentarily flooded her mind and she only narrowly avoided another tentacle swipe that whizzed by her head.

"You bastard," she hissed, seething with burning rage all over again. She was ready to race over and leap off the building again, when Chat vaulted back into her vision.

Thankfully, he was totally unscathed and completely ready to jump back into the action. Ladybug sighed in relief at the reminder that he was capable of saving himself, unlike her poor Adrien.

She quickly returned her focus to the task at hand. Get that damn bracelet and end this akuma. Her patience had officially reached its limit.

Ladybug's eyes flitted around rapidly, until she finally located her target. She took the opportunity to roll underneath a tentacle, vault over another one, and then grab onto the target tentacle. She threw her whole body onto the arm and was thrashed around as a result. Holding on with all her might, she finally managed to grab onto the bracelet with her gloved hands. She then violently ripped it off, breaking the offending object into pieces.

She snapped her yo-yo and captured the black butterfly, before releasing it as a purified butterfly. She hadn't bothered saying her usual speech, still too upset by this particular akuma attack.

"Miraculous Ladybug," she called half-heartedly, without her usual enthusiasm, as she tossed the used ketchup bottle into the air.

Even when Chat came over to victoriously pound fists, she remained tight-lipped and pounded his fist in silence, leaving Chat to say it on his own.

He knew something was up, of course. He had been there, saved by his Lady. By Marinette. (He was still reeling over the fact, but knew he would have more time to freak out over it again later.)

Chat figured it must be revealing her identity to a civilian that had her so upset, but he couldn't say for sure. He didn't dare ask, deciding he should give her space and let her talk if she needed to.

Ladybug struggled to speak to her partner, almost opting to leave without a word. But while he wasn't bombarding her with questions, she knew he was ready and eager to listen. And she knew it would be better to trust him with her newest dilemma.

"Someone knows my identity now," she mumbled, looking at the floor, too anxious to look into her partner's eyes. He probably looked hurt, betrayed, or angry.

There was a brief pause before Chat responded.

"Is it someone you trust?" he asked. His voice sounded raw and more concerned than upset.

Hearing the tone of his voice, Ladybug mustered her courage to look up at him. She was surprised to see his expression was tender and understanding.

"Yes. He's a good friend of mine."

The certainty in her voice warmed Chat's heart.

"Then, it'll be okay. Right?" He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"I don't know. This knowledge could put him in danger. All because of me..." she spoke quietly.

She wasn't her usual Ladybug self; she was very vulnerable in this moment. The raging fire that had just been in her eyes mere seconds ago had finally simmered down. She seemed more like the normal girl he knew in his school life.

Chat knew the details and that she hadn't had a choice in revealing her identity—or so she thought, but he knew he could have saved himself from the fall. But she didn't know that, of course, so he couldn't fault her for making that choice.

Knowing what he knew and seeing the state she was in, rather than asking her any questions or revealing himself, he decided to simply comfort her instead.

"He will be fine. It's not like Hawk Moth knows that he knows. So as long as he doesn't get akumatized, everything will be all right," he reassured gently. "Besides, he has us to save him."

Ladybug's eyes flickered with uncertainty.

"But... what if he does get akumatized?" She searched Chat's eyes, hoping to find the answer. He gave her a confident grin.

"He won't. Not if he has you by his side."

Ladybug's earrings gave a final warning beep.

"I have to go... Thanks, Chat," she said with sincerity and left without saying her usual sassy, "Bug out."

They both would be returning to their classmates now. They would be seeing each other as their civilian selves, with the knowledge of her secret identity floating between only them.

He was nervous, but also couldn't wait.

She was terrified.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (EDIT: I came up with the ketchup bottle before Bakerix was released. So I did not take my idea from there!)
> 
> Sadly, action scenes aren't really my forte, but my helpful husband gave me lots of suggestions so I think it turned out a lot better than it originally was thanks to him!
> 
> Fun fact: apparently octopus don't have tentacles, just arms. But arms sounds boring/lame, so I used tentacles anyway. Sorry if the incorrect use of the term offends anyone!
> 
> Anyway, please leave me a comment if you enjoyed this and still want to see more! It makes me ridiculously happy and motivated to continue when I read such amazing comments! ❤


	3. His Lady Marinette

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Adrien learned Marinette's secret, fought alongside Ladybug, and comforted her, what thoughts ran through his mind?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is purely from Adrien's POV and it covers the previous chapter and a small portion of chapter one.
> 
> Please enjoy!

Adrien stared at the empty space where Ladybug— _Marinette_ —had just been standing.

One moment he had been on the second floor of the Eiffel Tower with Marinette and his classmates, the next he was whacked over the edge and plummeting downwards from a 400 foot drop.

Now he was on the first level, left to ponder over what the hell just happened.

The words she had spoken mere seconds before, "Please, protect my secret and yourself," echoed in his mind repeatedly. He felt his heart melting as he fell head over heels for her all over again.

After half a minute of complete silence from his chosen, Plagg decided to emerge from his usual hiding spot and waved his arms in front of Adrien's eyes.

Adrien didn't even blink.

"Oh great, he's broken," Plagg muttered sarcastically.

The kwami wasn't exactly wrong. Adrien's brain was exploding with thoughts regarding his latest discovery, struggling to process the implications of this newfound knowledge.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng was Ladybug.

Ladybug was Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

Marinette, who was clumsy, sweet, not punctual, seemingly uncomfortable around him, friendly, selfless, and caring, was Ladybug.

Ladybug, who was courageous, determined, clever, creative, witty, sassy, and badass, was Marinette.

Marinette—aspiring fashion designer, class president, excellent gamer, friend to everyone, everyday Ladybug—was Ladybug.

Ladybug—Paris' superhero, Chat Noir's partner, leader of the other superheroes, trusted confidante of the Miraculous Guardian—was Marinette.

At first glance, they seemed so different. But Adrien quickly realized that she was just _that_ more amazing and well-rounded than he ever imagined. He realized that the qualities of both of them could easily apply to either side of identity.

Marinette jumped off the Eiffel Tower to save Adrien. Clearly, that showed her courageous, determined, and badass side.

Marinette transformed into Ladybug in front of his eyes, mid-fall, to save him. Her classmate. Her friend. Even though it exposed her deepest, darkest secret, she had decided that saving his life was more important. Clearly that showed her caring, selfless side.

When he first met Ladybug, she crashed into him and introduced herself as "madly clumsy." Which was very Marinette-like.

Warmth bloomed in his chest the more he aligned and merged the two previously separate people into one in his mind.

He knew he loved Ladybug and whoever she was beneath the mask.

Knowing that the girl beneath the mask was Marinette simply confirmed it.

He loved Marinette, no question. Sure, she was his friend and he had been careful to keep thinking of her only in the most platonic of ways, but he definitely had been trying to squash special feelings for her before he could think too carefully about what they truly were.

But now he was free to feel that way for her. It was like a burden had been lifted off his chest. The two most incredible girls in the entirety of Paris—no, the whole world—were one and the same.

This realization made his heart thrum with happiness and excitement. No more conflicted feelings about why Marinette was so much more amazing and special to him than some of his other friends. No more wondering if he was betraying his loyalty to his Lady when he felt his heart beating a little bit quicker around his good friend. A weight had been lifted from his shoulders that he hadn't even truly acknowledged was there. It was truly liberating.

It was wonderful.

Now, he could pursue both Ladybug and Marinette!

Wait.

.  
.  
.

Shit. Didn't he already turn down Marinette as Chat Noir?

Wait, what?

Why had Marinette— _Ladybug_ —confessed her love to Chat when she had previously turned him down, citing that there was already a boy she had in mind?

Also, Marinette had confided in Chat, implying that she had had her heart broken by a boy, but that was _before_ she confessed to Chat...

_What the heck was going on??_

Adrien began scratching and ruffling his hair in agonized frustration and confusion.

"You're really losing it, huh kid?" Plagg asked rhetorically, knowing his holder was in another world and completely ignoring him.

Adrien began pacing around in circles.

Plagg snorted at the complete lack of response to his words. It was pretty amusing to watch all the range of facial expressions crossing Adrien's face; from expressionless to surprise to awe to lovestruck to confusion. It was a bit like having his own personal soap opera, but Plagg felt adequately entertained enough to end it here.

Plagg zoomed over and poked Adrien right in the eye.

"Ouch!!!" Adrien cried out. With a glare, he asked, "What was that for?!"

"Eh. It was the most effective method for getting your attention." The kwami shrugged his shoulders unapologetically.

"Well, you have it. What do you want?" Adrien pouted and held his stinging eye, wiping a few stray tears that had leaked out.

"Not much. I just figured you might want to help your lovebug. But if you rather sit this one out, then that's fine by me."

Adrien gasped. He had totally forgotten about the akuma thanks to the exciting revealing of his "lovebug's" identity.

"Plagg!"

"Should've kept my mouth sh—"

"Claws out!" Adrien yelled, interrupting his kwami without remorse.

Now transformed, Chat shook his head of his thoughts and unsheathed his baton. He was ready to kick some akuma ass, alongside his Lady— _Marinette!_

With the extension feature of his baton, he shot up to the second level in no time, jumping and landing right next to his partner.

He arrived just in time to see a ketchup bottle, likely from her Lucky Charm, drop into her hands. Chat then glanced over at the slimy-looking akuma before back at her.

"I don't think he's going to taste good, even with the ketchup," Chat commented, chuckling at his own joke.

Immediately, he could tell Ladybug ( _Marinette!_ ) was in a sour mood.

"You're late," she pointed out in an unamused tone.

"Sorry, I got a little _octopied_." It was a lame excuse and pun, but he was hoping to get at least an eye roll out of her, or maybe even a little smirk. But much to his dismay, Ladybug just sighed. He made a quick mental note to focus on not upsetting her further.

Their conversation was cut short and they found themselves entrapped in a cage of tentacles. Ladybug muttered his name and he instantly understood that she wanted him to create an opening, so he did just that.

Chat watched in awe as Ladybug—no, Marinette—flew gracefully upwards and blinded the octo-sausage akuma. The tentacles went wild as a result. Ladybug then informed Chat of the possessed object. Chat tried to avoid getting hit by the tentacles as he searched, but he had to admit he was a bit distracted by the beauty and grace of Lady Marinette as she flipped and rolled and vaulted out of the way of the arms.

She was utterly amazing.

He realized that he, on the other hand, was _not_ amazing as he felt a hard impact against his abdomen for the second time that day. It may have hurt less than the first time, but it was still strong enough to send him soaring over the edge of the building.

_For fuck's sake, not again!_

This time he would be able to save himself at least (although he would rather be saved by a certain amazing girl, he knew that was not an option this time). Extending his baton, he wedged it into some tower beams and catapulted himself back up into the battle.

The look of relief on Ladybug's face didn't escape his notice. He once again felt his chest warm up, likely filling with love and adoration.

Shaking his head, he redirected his focus towards finding the bracelet and dodging the flailing arms. He saw it shortly after his partner did and witnessed as she aggressively broke the bracelet and purified the butterfly.

She was _so_ cool.

Still admiring her, Chat made his way over to the unusually quiet Ladybug.

"Pound it," he said with a raised fist and was only a bit disappointed when she quietly and softly bumped it.

Chat waited as Ladybug stood there silently, seemingly gathering her thoughts. He had an inkling of what was wrong but didn't want to force anything out of her; he would happily wait until she was ready, no matter how long it took.

It turned out that he did not have to wait long.

"Someone knows my identity now," Ladybug admitted, her head tilted downwards in a guilty-type gesture.

Chat had now confirmed the source of his distress; which ironically was due to his civilian self learning her identity. He felt a knot of worry form in his stomach. Maybe she didn't trust Adrien with the secret and that's why she was so upset? He swallowed the lump in his throat and decided to ask.

"Is it someone you trust?" He held his breath as he waited for her answer. He swore he would gain her trust if he didn't already have it.

Finally, Ladybug returned his gaze.

"Yes. He's a good friend of mine."

Her response lifted a weight from Chat's heart and brought him great joy. He let out a silent sigh of relief.

"Then, it'll be okay. Right?" He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder; a shoulder that had always been so familiar. He had touched it so many times. How had he not realized they were the same person before? He almost wanted to laugh at how blind he had been.

"I don't know. This knowledge could put him in danger. All because of me..." she spoke quietly.

Chat desperately wanted to disagree, but he was honestly not finished processing the information her reveal gave him earlier and felt that now was not really an appropriate time to reveal himself. So instead he focused on consoling the sweet girl.

"He will be fine. It's not like Hawk Moth knows that he knows. So as long as he doesn't get akumatized, everything will be all right," he explained. "Besides, he has us to save him." It was not far from the truth, but omitting the fact that he was Adrien did make him a little uncomfortable. He knew Ladybug/Marinette hated liars; he would have to be careful when he later revealed himself to her.

Ladybug didn't seem convinced.

"But... what if he does get akumatized?"

"He won't. Not if he has you by his side." Chat gave her his best smile, squeezing her shoulder in reassurance. He felt the tension in her shoulder relax a little.

Suddenly, he was reminded of the uncertainty and insecurity Ladybug held when she first became a superhero. He comforted her then and was glad he had been the one to comfort her again this time.

Ladybug's earrings gave a final warning beep.

"I have to go... Thanks, Chat." She gave him a weak smile and then left him alone again with his thoughts.

Her obvious worry for her good friend (she called him a good friend and she trusted him!) had somehow made him fall even harder for his LadyMariBugNette.

MariLadyNetteBug.

Ladynette.

Maribug.

Buginette.

Mariboo.

Oh boy, the nicknames were endless; there was so much potential. He only wished he could use them on her. But for now, he would have to settle with her usual nicknames, until he revealed himself. Which he wasn't sure if or when or _how_ he was going to do that.

God, he badly needed someone to talk to about all of this. And sadly, his only option was Plagg. Well, that was better than the conversation he had by himself in his head earlier, he supposed.

But for now, it was time to return to his classmates. _To Marinette_.

He couldn't wait!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I felt like my second chapter lost a lot of readers so I was a bit disheartened by that if I'm being honest. But the readers who did leave comments were so sweet so that brought me the motivation to continue onwards! So a huge thank you to those who commented!! ❤ I sincerely hope this chapter was better! Adrien is clearly smitten as a kitten and I think it's adorable, so I really hope you all agree 🙈 Also, Adrien touches Mari's shoulder so much, I almost want to write a reveal fic about it 😂
> 
> By the way, I have nothing written for the next chapter, as I'm having some writer's block on how to approach their meeting up with the class. I'm sure I'll figure it out eventually, but I certainly wouldn't mind suggestions!
> 
> As always, I truly appreciate comments and kudos. Thank you! ❤


	4. Battle Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien and Marinette have some post battle discussion before reuniting with their classmates.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry I disappeared. On May 13, my husband was in a motorcycle accident and nearly died. The (lengthy) details are below for anyone curious. If not, please skip ahead to the chapter.
> 
> It has been the hardest last few months of my life, which had left me unable to write. Also, my husband and I closed on our new house at the beginning of July—a purchase we had made before the accident. So, dealing with his recovery (a month in the hospital, a month and a half in a retirement home, and now we finally live in our house) and moving into a new home with tons of new expenses has been extremely stressful and busy. I have been off work since May 13 to deal with this and help take care of him. We are fortunate in that we have good health care in Canada, as well as medical insurance from our jobs, employment insurance, and auto insurance. We had also put money aside for emergencies, so financially-speaking we are okay for now (but we could have so easily not have been). Emotionally-speaking, I am finally getting better but I still cry everytime I remember the first few days of the accident. Not knowing if he would live, not knowing if his brain was damaged (he had a brain bleed - a subarachnoid hemorrhage), not knowing if he would be the man I love, not knowing if he would ever fully recover... those first few days were hell. The weeks to follow weren't much better, as he was bedridden, puked a lot, couldnt do anything himself, was on a liquid diet that he loathed (his jaw was broken so he had surgery to fix it and then it was wired shut so it could heal), and kept spiking fevers. Not to mention his right arm and left leg were majorly broken. So the month in hospital was awful. I cried myself to sleep every night, alone. Things got a little more better in the retirement home as I was allowed to stay overnight with him (though I could not sleep in the same bed, I was thankful to be in the same room). But then just as things were looking up, he got pericarditis (a heart condition where he had fluid around the heart and it was inflamed) and ended up in hospital again for several more days. Now, things are improving. He was wheelchair bound for about two months, then upgraded to a high walker, and now he uses crutches. All that's left is a bone graft surgery (he is missing some bone in his leg so they will take some bone from his other leg to replace the cement that they temporarily placed in his leg) but that won't be for a while due to his heart condition. So anyway, it probably won't be until sometime next year that he goes back to work. But the point is he is getting better and things are finally looking up. Our home is unpacked and we love living there together and sleeping together. Things are better. So I'm going back to work next week and I'm hoping to get back into writing. I have been reading so many amazing fics lately and they have helped raised my spirit and motivate me into writing again. I know my writing can't compare to a lot of what's out there, but I hope that it can be enjoyed even by a few people.
> 
> Thanks to anyone who is still reading this fic and also to any new readers who decide to give my story a chance. I truly hope you enjoy.

Chat Noir watched as his beautiful partner sprinted away and bounded off the building. He followed, but only after she had leapt off, doing his best to keep track of her.  
  
Ladybug landed in a deserted alleyway and Chat was not far behind, but he had to channel all his stealthiness as he neared her. Making sure to hide himself behind a building, he only peeked his head around the corner.  
  
Ladybug then whipped her head all around, scanning the area to make certain no one was watching. Chat quickly ducked his head from around the corner to ensure he would not be seen. Then, after checking around to make sure no one was watching, he de-transformed himself.  
  
Carefully, he inched his head back out, where he was now graced with the beauty of a de-transformed Ladybug.  
  
In other words, Marinette.  
  
_Marinette!_  
  
Marinette poked her head out from the alleyway, likely in search of her classmates or perhaps in search of Adrien.  
  
Mustering all his inner Chat, Adrien slowly tiptoed towards his totally badass classmate/superhero.  
  
Holding his breath as he crept closer, he quietly reached out and tapped her shoulder.  
  
Before Adrien could fully comprehend what was happening, his arm was twisted somewhat painfully around his back in a strong hold and his chest was shoved roughly against the bricks of the building. (Thankfully, he had managed to lean his head back and avoided having his face damaged.)  
  
After the initial shock of the unexpected pain, Adrien couldn't help the awe that flashed through his mind. _Damn, she was so freaking badass and cool!_ He almost wished Alya had been there to record that moment.  
  
After only a second of being pinned, he suddenly found himself free again. (He was almost disappointed, he quite enjoyed being pinned by his Ladynette.)  
  
Slowly, Adrien turned around to face a very flustered-looking Marinette.  
  
"A-Adrien! Don't scare me like that!" Marinette cried out, covering her face with her hands.  
  
"Sorry, Marinette. Um, I kind of forgot how startled you can get and how strong you are," Adrien admitted, rubbing the back of his neck in shame. He hadn't actually forgotten her strength. He just hadn't expected her reflex reaction to be to pin him down like a criminal.  
  
He suddenly felt hot. Wait, was he a bit turned on by her reaction?  
  
"Are... you okay?" Marinette asked with concern, disrupting his line of thought. Thankfully.  
  
"Oh yeah, I'm fine," he replied, his voice cracking a bit. Adrien cleared his throat. "Just barely though. You would make a great cop, you know," he added with a chuckle.  
  
Marinette's cheeks reddened even more.  
  
"Uh, um, thanks?" she said, though it sounded more like a question. "Anyway, I also meant, um, how are you after the akuma attack? It must have been scary falling from so high. Plus I wasn't exactly gentle when I caught you." Marinette seemed unable to look him in the eyes as she said this. She looked guilty.  
  
"You rescued me from death. Any pain it caused is nothing compared to that," he reassured sincerely. "And b-besides... it's my fault you had to blow your identity."  
  
"No, that's not true at all!" Suddenly Marinette was looking at him with fierce determination. Adrien did his best not to literally swoon. "It was the akuma's fault. No, actually, it was Hawk Moth's fault!"  
  
The fire in her eyes were identical to Ladybug's.  
  
Once again, Adrien wondered incredulously how he hadn't pieced together the fact that Marinette was Ladybug sooner. It was blindingly obvious.  
  
"Yeah, you're right," Adrien agreed with a relieved smile. Marinette's smile briefly mirrored his before she grimaced and bit her lip.  
  
"No one must know my true identity. Or any of the other superheroes identities for that matter. You... won't tell anyone mine, will you?" Marinette looked at him with slight uncertainty. She looked adorable and a bit vulnerable. Adrien wasn't sure he would ever get used to the bombardment of feelings for her.  
  
"Of course not. I would never do something against your wishes," Adrien answered with absolute loyalty and confidence. Marinette sighed with relief and a smile, a hint of red gracing her cheeks, making his flush in return. "Anyway, I'd love to keep talking with you... but it looks like our class is looking for us."  
  
Marinette looked over to where her classmates and teacher were waiting in the distance.  
  
"Wait. Before we go, can you tell me how you ended up over here?" Marinette seemed puzzled as to why he was not with the rest of their class or at least closer to the Eiffel Tower.  
  
"Chat Noir found me and I asked him to take me a bit further away so I could recuperate without everyone fussing over me," Adrien answered. Again, he didn't feel good lying to Marinette, but now was still not the time to reveal himself and he knew it was a believable excuse.  
  
"Oh. So he had a really valid for being 'octipied' after all," Marinette murmured, more to herself. She smiled fondly knowing her kitty had helped Adrien get to safety. Adrien's heart thrummed at her soft look. "I'm relieved to hear that. We can get going now."  
  
Nodding, Adrien exited the alleyway with Marinette and they began to make their way over to their classmates.  
  
"So, um, w-what excuse should we use when we join up with them?" Marinette asked, knowing lying was not her forte and she loathed doing it.  
  
"I'll take care of it, don't worry," Adrien reassured with a grin. He would do anything to protect his Lady Mari. He knew how much she hated lying and if he could lift any burdens for her, he would do so in a heartbeat.  
  
"Thanks, Adrien," Marinette spoke softly, genuine gratitude lacing her voice.  
  
"Anytime," he replied. "I have the perfect cover story for us, don't you worry."  
  
Marinette looked at him with a soft smile, then shook her head. "Not just for that. I'm also thanking you for handling this so well and being so quick to agree to keep my secret. I feel like most people would be hesitant to hide it... I think a lot of people would feel proud to be the first one to know Ladybug's true identity and expose it to everyone for the 15 seconds of fame."  
  
Adrien chuckled at that and rubbed his neck in embarrassment. "Well, you know, I don't exactly need 15 seconds of fame."  
  
"True enough," Marinette giggled in agreement. Adrien felt his heart twist; he loved her cute little laugh.  
  
"But I also understand the importance of keeping your identity a secret. It's not safe for others to know, right? It could give Hawk Moth the upper hand if he ever akumatized someone who knew that secret," he added seriously. Ladybug had told Chat her fears of Adrien being targeted for akumatization due to his newfound knowledge, and he wasn't about to forget those fears of hers or brush them off. Her fears were his to share and he felt it was of utmost importance to keep them from becoming a reality.  
  
Marinette gazed up at him in shock, her jaw dropped. She figured most civilians wouldn't give the whole secret identity thing this much thought. Most people just thought she didn't want the attention to interrupt her personal life or that she was actually a terrible person underneath the mask or something else along those lines. So Marinette was impressed by Adrien's thoughtful logic.  
  
She closed her mouth and smiled again, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. Then again, Adrien was clever and kind. It made sense he didn't suspect her reasons to be shallow.  
  
Adrien eyes met hers as they continued walking. He grinned at her speechlessness (after all, how often did he make Ladybug speechless? Not often, if ever... then again, he couldn't really take credit for stunning her with a response she had told him as Chat and he had reiterated as Adrien) and raised an eyebrow. "What?"  
  
Marinette shook her head, a wry grin spreading across her lips. "Nothing. You just hit the nail on the head is all. Thanks for understanding. I'm lucky you were the one I had to reveal myself to in order to save."  
  
"Well, I have heard ladybugs are lucky," Adrien winked.  
  
Marinette snorted and was reminded of her partner. Marinette was pleasantly surprised he seemed to have a dorky side to him. Strangely, she felt a stronger bond to him and a little less shy and awkward because of it.  
  
As they got closer Marinette paused for a moment as an idea floated through her mind.  
  
Adrien stopped walking almost immediately as well (he was so in tune with her, being her partner and all), wondering what was the matter.  
  
"Hey, do you think you could do me a favour? Or rather, favours."  
  
"Anything," Adrien replied instantly, a little too eagerly.  
  
Marinette was flattered by his willingness to help, before second guessing herself.  
  
"Actually, sorry, never mind. I'll wait until later. Our classmates have seen us," Marinette said with a nervous chuckle. She decided it would be best to ask Adrien after she saw how he handled the cover story.  
  
Adrien was immensely curious, but shrugged and resumed walking with her, knowing that she had made up her mind (and boy, she could be stubborn... and yet he loved that about her too).  
  
As they arrived, everyone swarmed them buzzing with questions and Adrien plastered on his model smile for them, ready to try to tackle answering some of them. Apparently no one had seen exactly what had happened so that allowed for some wiggle room in the story he was about to spin.  
  
Mlle Bustier hushed her students so that she could have a clear discussion with the two. She had been concerned about their disappearance and needed to know what happened so that she could be more careful next time.  
  
"Adrien, Marinette! We were very worried about you when you fell off the Eiffel Tower. Please tell me what happened. We can speak privately if you prefer."  
  
Adrien thanked her for the consideration but said it was okay for the class to be there. He explained that the akuma knocked him and Marinette over the edge. By a very lucky coincidence, Ladybug and Chat Noir showed up in the nick of time and saved them from their deaths. Ladybug went on to battle the akuma, while Chat Noir took them far away from the battle for their safety—which explained why it took them so long to walk back to the Eiffel Tower and reunite with the class. It also explained why Chat Noir was slightly late to the battle, and although he wasn't sure anyone noticed that particular detail besides Maribug, he wanted to cover all his bases.  
  
Mlle Bustier looked ready to cry and pulled them both into a warm embrace.  
  
"Near-death experiences can be very traumatic. If you need to talk about it, please see one of our school counsellors. They have all sorts of tools for coping with trauma and I'm sure you will find it helps to speak about it," Ms. Bustier informed them passionately. "Also, you two also have each other. Someone who understands your trauma can also be a valuable resource for coping with it."  
  
Adrien and Marinette looked at each other and then back at their teacher. They were really lucky to have such a wonderful and caring mentor in their lives.  
  
"Thank you, Mlle Bustier," the duo replied in unison, then leaned in for another group hug.  
  
Suddenly, the whole class—well, almost the whole class—joined in on the group hug.  
  
"We're glad you two are okay!" Rose exclaimed.  
  
"Yeah," Juleka agreed.  
  
"Don't scare us again like that, dudes!" Nino added.  
  
"Seriously. Nino and I did not know how to deal with our best friends disappearing like that," Alya joined in, an almost motherly scolding tone to her voice.  
  
"I can't even imagine what would happen if it was Ivan that had fallen," Mylene sniffled.  
  
"Dont worry, Mylene, I'll be careful and stay close to you," Ivan reassured gently, petting her hair.  
  
"Maybe don't get so close to the edge next time," Max said. "Your risks of falling decrease by 38.4% for every 1.5 feet you distance yourself from the edge."  
  
"I'm surprised it wasn't Alix who fell. She said she was going to walk the railings like a tightrope for €20," Kim pitched in.  
  
"Kim, way to ruin a nice moment," Alix said with an eyeroll.  
  
The class laughed and after Marinette and Adrien gave their thank yous, they ended the group hug.  
  
Mlle Bustier clapped her hands.  
  
"Alright, class, I guess that's it for today's school trip. Hopefully the next one will go more smoothly," she remarked with a sigh. "The assignment for today's trip is cancelled due to the akuma attack. The bus will take us back to school and then you are free to go home."  
  
Everyone cheered as they excitedly made their way over to the bus.  
  
Adrien had secretly hoped to sit next to Marinette on the bus ride, but Alya snagged her before he even had the chance to ask.  
  
Shrugging in minor defeat, he sat next to Nino. He noticed with a wry smile that both he and Marinette were being bombarded by their best friends, both wanting to hear all their details what went down with their saviors, a.k.a. Paris' superheroes.  
  
Adrien was happy to chat with his best friend, but that meant that, unfortunately, he would have to find out what favour(s) Marinette wanted later on.  
  
Oh well, at least he finally knew his Lady's identity and could freak about it with Plagg afterwards. After his Chinese lesson, of course, which he secretly hoped would get cancelled.  
  
(But his luck had ran out for the day and sadly his lesson was not cancelled.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I hope this chapter is okay! I have some ideas of where things could do, but any suggestions are always appreciated!
> 
> Also, I am going back to work and still doing a lot of housework (as my husband is not able to do many things), so I can't promise frequent updates, but I'll do my best to write when I can. Comments and kudos really motivate me so I appreciate any that come my way! Thank you ❤


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